Loading-machine.



E. SMITH. LOADING MACHINE. APPLICATION IILBD MAY 7,1910.

Patented May 30, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

we? WA ATTORNEY J E. SMITH. LOADING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED MAY '1, 1910.

Patented May 3Q, 1 911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

-MEE

Arm/Mmm E. SMITH. LOADING MACHINE. APyLIoATIoN FILED MAY?, 1910.

Patented May 3o, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITNESSES:

v ymoli/151s.

UNITE ENocH sturm, or SALT LAKE'CITY, UTAH.

` LOADING-MACHINE.

e To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, ENooH SMITH, residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake and State of Utah, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Loading-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in loading machines for use inl excavating operations, grading, etc., and the invention has for its object to provide a simply constructed machine thatmay be constructed at a minimum expense and will be effective in its operation.

The invention comprises a Wheeled truck on which a power plant is disposed, such power plant consisting of an engine, fuel tank, boiler, etc. lAn elevator of a peculiar construction is also mounted on the truck to convey the dirt from the ground into suitable receptacles or vehicles to be hauled away. The elevator, which forms an essential part of my invention, is constructed of a frame of channel iron on which idler pulleys are supported and which also carries the end drums over which the endless conveycr belt passes. The main drive shaft' for the conveyer passes through trunnions on the elevator frame, which trunnions are mounted in bearings on the truck to pivotally mount the elevator frame thereon. The conveyor drive shaft is geared up with the engine in any suitable way. The main drive shaft is geared up with the conveyer Ibelt pulleys by a sprocket and chain drive or in any other suitable way. Suitable sideboards or guides are provided for the conveyer and the belt is also provided with side plate sections to assist in retaining the dirt on the belt. The conveyor at its entrant or loadingvend is provided with a boot and housing. the housing having openings for the entrance of the dirt and the boot serving to insure an even deposit of dirt on the conveyer during the elevating operation.

In its more subordinate nature the invention comprises those novel details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all of which will be first. fully described, then be pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1, is a longitudinal section on the line l-V-l of Fig. 2. Fig. 2, is a top plan view of the invention. Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are Specification of Letters-Patent.

.Application filed May 7, 1910.

Serial 110,560,021.

sections respectively on the lines 3-3, 4'-4 and 5-5 of Fig.1. Fig. 6, is a detail view of the adjustable bearing for the driving shaft of the conveyer drums. Fig. 7, is a detail sectionon the line 7-7 of Fig. 2. Fig. 8, is an enlarged detail side elevation of the mechanism for raising and lowering the elevator. Fig. 9, is a top plan view of the raising and lowering mechanism. Fig. 10, is an enlarged detail section on the line 10-'10 of Fig. 9. Fig. 11, is a detail section on the line 12-12 of Fig. 10.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in which like-letters and numerals of reference indicate like parts in Vallof the figures, 1 designatesythe truck which is constructe'd of an angle iron frame consisting of the longitudinal beams l, the under beams lb andthe cross beams 1c. The beams 1a support the trucks ld and 1e that have the front and rear axles lf--lfg respectively on which axles the wheels 111-1k are respectively mounted. The truck 1 supports the power plant, which may be of any type. As shown in the drawing, it consists of the engine 20, the boiler 21 and tank 22. The truck 1 has trunnion'bearings 2 2 through which the main drive shaft 3 projects. A

The elevator proper is constructed of a frame formed by the longitudinal channelv irons 4 that are suitably joined together byl braces 4a and to which channel irons the trunnion plates 4" are secured, see Fig. 7 of the drawings. The plates 4b carry trun nions 4e which project into the bearings 2 -and are apertured to act as bearings for the main driving shaft 3.

Mounted on the lower end of the channel irons 4 are adjustable bearings 5 in which a shaft 6 is mounted, the shaft 6 carrying a drum 7 around which an endless belt 11 passes. At the other end the conveyer is provided with adjustable bearings 5a for the drum shaft 6a on which a pair of drum sections 8 are mounted. Between the drum sections 8 a driving sprocket 17 is located.

Mounted in suitable bearings along the upper surface of the channel irons 4, and at suitable intervals, are shafts 9 carrying idlers' 9al over which the conveyor belt 11 passes. Suitable idlers 10b mounted on Ishafts 10- held in brackets 10 are beneath the beams 4, serve to support the under side of the conveyor belt 11 at suitable intervals.

1,3 designates side. boards that are sup- Patented May 30, 1911.

loo

ported over beams 4 by brackets 12, the side-y boards serving to confine the dirt to the conveyer belt 11 and in order to prevent dirt from getting under the sideboards the conveyer belt 11 is provided with angle plates 11a that are secured at 11b to the belt, the angle plates lying edge to edge along the straight line of the belt, and by forming them of sections the passing of the belt around the end pulleys or drums is not interfered with.

At the lower or entrant end of the conveyer is a casing 15X having a boot portion 15 so as to protect the lower end of the conveyer from injury.4 The .casing 15x and boot 15 are suitably supported on the channel irons 4 by brackets 14 and the casing 15X has an opening or throatway 15c guarded by grate bars 15d through which the dirt is admitted to the conveyer belt 11, a dctlector 15el being provided to prevent the dirt dropping down into the boot and casing bottoms. A dirt catcher and deiector 15r is located adjacent to the pulley 7 to convey any dirt that may fall through the conveyer onto the deflector to one side of the conveyer and prevent it working between the conveyer and drum. It will be observed the boot 15 has an entrance 15a protected by an angle ironv 16, which entrance is of lesser height than the exist end 15b ofthe boot for a purpose that will hereinafter appear more clearly. A sprocket 16 on the main shaft 3 is connected with the sprocket 17 on the pulley shaft (i8L by an endless sprocket chain 1S, or any other suitable power transmission mechanism may be employed. The shaft 3 is driven from the engine 2() by a gear and pinion L10a-20EL respectively, it being understood that the engine or power plant is provided with the usual controlling devices which per se, form no part of my present in-v vention.

In operation it is-only necessary to dig a trench large enough to receive the booted end of the conveyer, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, after which the dirt to be loaded is dumped over the booted end and gravitates through the opening 15c on to the conveyer, the guarded end 15a of the boot serving to limit the depth of dirt on the conveyer belt 11 that passes through the boot and angle iron 16 serving, as it were, as a pusher to prevent more than a predetermined amount of dirt passing through the boot, thus limiting the dirt on the con-- vcye'r -to an even stream as the conveyer carries the dirt from the entrant endv to the discharge end and delivers it into the vehicle by means of which it is taken away.

' It will be observed that by my construction a 'simpleand eliective elevator is provided that 'may be transported readily from place to place and used in any and all kinds of excavating operations doing away with the necessity of loading vehicles by hands and insuring greater speed in loading` The 'provision of the boot serving tol keep the dirt level on the conveyer'prevents the spilll particularly to these figures, it will be noticed that on the truck frame irons 1a U-shaped supports 23 are mounted. These supports are secured at 24 to the beams 1a and are provided with bearing boxes 25--26 for the respective shafts 27-28. The shaft 2S carries pinions 29 at cach side and the shaft 27 carries rollers 30 alining with the pinions 29. The shafts 27-28 are geared together by gears 3l-32. Motion is imparted to the shaft 27 by a crank that may be attached to either end 27 of the shaft. and the shaft 27 may be held from rotation in one direction by a ratchet and pawl device 4142.

Projecting between the rollers 30 and pinions 29 are channel irons S4, the backs of which engage the rollersv 30, while the pinions 29 project into the grooves of such channel irons and engage cross Vrivets 35 that form a rack of the angle irons 34. The channel irons 34 are connected by rods 36 that are secured at 36L to the channel .irons 34 and are pivotcd at 37 to the bifurcated heads 3S of the rods 39 that project through the channel irons 4 and are secured at their lower ends by nuts 39a.

ln practice when it is desired to raise the booted end ot thc conveyer, the crank 27a is turned in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 9 to impart motion to the shaft 27 which is transmitted through the gears 32"31 to the shaft 2S, thus causing its pinions 29 to raise ,the rack 31 and correspondingly elevate the booted end of the conveyer 4. The pawl 42, engaging the ratchet disk 4l, prevents the backward movement of the rack 34 and holds the conveyer in the required position.

In this application, I make no claim per se to the speci tic rack and pinion devices shown in Fig. 8 ci? acq., as such will form the subject matter o'f a divisional application.

' From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought the complete construction, operation and numerous advantages of :my invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains.

What I claim is:

1. In a loading machine, a conveyer frame, pulleys carried at the ends of said frame, an endless belt passing over said pulleys, means for driving said belt, a casing extending over one end of said belt, means for mounting said easing on said conveyer frame and spacing the top and side Walls of said casing from said conveyer, said casing having a loading opening in its top through Which dirt is admitted to said conveyer, plates carried by said casing and diverging from said loading opening toward said conveyer, said plates terminating adjacent to said'conveyer, substantially as shown and described.

2. A loading machine including a truck having trunnion bearings, Va conveyer having trunnions mounted in said trunnion bearings, a main' drive shaft journaled in said trunnions, said conveyer including a longitudinal frame having bearings at its ends, pulley shafts in said bearings, pulleys on said shafts, an endless convever belt taking over said pulleys, sideboards fnipported en said frame for said belt, a boot carried by said frame at one end of said conveyer for leveling the dirt on said conveyer as it is deposited on said conveyer at said end, the area of the opening vof the entrant end of said boot being less than that at the exit end of said boot.

3. In a loading machine, aconveyer frame, pulleys carried at the ends of said frame, an endless belt passing over said pulleys, means for driving said belt, an open bottom casing supported by said conveyor frame over one end of said belt, saidcasing including a boot for leveling the dirt, said casing having a loading opening in advance of said boot, and guard members held over said opening.

4. In a loading machine, a conveyer frame,

pulleys carried at the ends of said frame, an endless belt passing over said pulleys, means for driving said belt, a casingyoversone end of said belt, said casing including a boot for leveling the dirt, said casing having a loading opening in advance of said boot, said boot having its top spaced closer to said belt at the entrant end than at the exit end ofsaid boot.

5. In a loading machine, a conveyer frame, pulleys carried at the ends of said frame, an endless belt passing over said pulleys, means for driving said belt, a casing over one end of said belt, said casing including a boot for leveling the dirt, said casing having a loading opening in advance of said boot, sideboardscarried by said Jframe and extending from "the entrant end4 of said boot through said boot to the exit end lot' said conveyer frame, the lower edges of said sideboards be-` ing held adjacent to said conveyer belt.

6. In a loading machine, a conveyer frame, pulleys carried at the ends of said frame, an endless belt passing over said pulleys, means for driving said belt, a casing over one end of said belt, said casing including a boot for leveling the dirt, said casing having a loading opening in advance of said boot, said boot having its top spaced closer to said belt at the entrant end than at the exit end of said boot, sideboards carried by said frame and extending from the entrant end of said boot through said boot to the exit end of said conveyer frame, the lower edges of said sideboards being held adjacent to said conveyer belt.

7. In a loading machine, a conveyer frame, pulleys carried at the ends of said frame, an endless belt passing over said pulleys, means for driving said belt, a casin over one end of said belt, said casing including a boot for leveling the dirt, said casing having a loading opening in advance of said boot, sideboards carried by said frame and extending from the entrant end of said boot through said boot to the exit end of said eonveyer frame, the lower edges of said sideboards being held adjacent to said conveyer belt, and angle members secured to the edges of 'said beltto embrace said sideboards when adjacent thereto.

8. Ina loading mac` 1ine,a conveyer frame, pulleys carried at the endsy of said frame, an endless belt passing over said pulleys, means for driving said belt, a casing over one end of said belt, said casing including a boot for leveling the dirt, said casing having a loading opening in advance of said boot, sideboards carried by said frame and extending from the entrant end of said boot through said boot to the exit end of said conveyer frame, the lower edges of said sideboards being held adjacent to said conveyer belt, angle members secured to the edges of said belt to embrace said sideboards when adjacent thereto, said angle members having their side edges to lie in contact with one anpther when adjacent to said sideboards to form a continuous closed side guard for said belt when embracingsaid sideboards.

9. In a loading machine, a conveyer frame; pulleys mounted at the ends of said rame, an endless belt passing around said pulleys, fixedly held sideboards carried by said frame and held adjacent to the upper side of said belt, angle members secured to the edges of said'belt to embrace said sideboards when adjacent thereto, said angle members consisting of a fiat portion secured to thebelt and a portion projecting at right angles to said flat portion, 'said .projecting portion having side edges `normal to the plane of said belt, said angle members being held in close juxtaposition whereby said side edges Wilt contact with one another when said angle members are y embracing said sideboards.

l0. In a machine of the character stated, a supporting truck having trunnlon bearings, a conveyer including longitudinal chan- 13@ I veyer to limit the level of dirt on said conveyer as it passes through said boot, and a dirt deflector held by said channel irons and projected under the conveying side of said belt at the end adjacent to said boot.

11. vIn a machine of the. character stated, a supporting-truck having trunnion bearings, a conveyer including longitudinal channel irons spaced apart and braced together, trunnions carried by said channel irons and received by said trunnion bearings, a main driving shaft j ournaled in said trunnion bearings, an endless belt conveyer supported said conveyer, a boot supported by said chan@ nel irons over one end onl veyer as it passes through said boot, a dirt delector held by said channel irons and projected under the carrying side of said belt at the` end adjacent to said boot, and sideboards carried by said angle irons for the conveying side of said belt, said sideboards projecting into said boot.

12. In a machine ofthe character stated, a supporting conveyer frame, an endless belt conveyer carried thereby, means for driving said conveyer, and an open bottom boot supported by said frame over one end of said conveyer .to limit the level of dirt on said conveyer, as it passes through said boot.

13. In a machine of the character stated, a supporting conveyer frame, an endless belt conveyer carried thereby, means for driving said conveyer, an open bottom boot supported by said frame over one end of said conveyer to limit the level of dirt on said conveyer as it passes through said boot, and sideboards carried by said franje for the conveying side of said conveyer said sidev ysaid belt of said con.y lframe, and a dirt deflector held between said veyer to limit the level of dirt on said conl said boot, said casing including a guarded.

loading opening 1n advance of said boot, said casing having an open bottom.

15. In a loading machine, a truck having trunnion bearings, a conveyer frame having trunnions mounted, in said trunnion 'bearings, belt pulleys mounted at the ends of said frame, an endless belt passing around said .belt pulleys, a main driving shaft journald in said trunnions, sprocket and chain by said channel irons, means for driving nnections between said driving shaft and pulley at one end of said Iconveyer procket chain and the dirt conveying side ofsaid belt and projecting to the outside of said conveyer frame, and means for securing said delector to said conveyer frame.

16. In a loading machine, a truck having trunnion bearings, a conveyer frame having trunnions mounted in said bearings, belt pulleys at the ends of said frame, an endless belt conveyer passing around said pulleys, a casing held over the entrant end ofsaid conveyer frame and belt, the Walls of said casing being spaced 'from' said frame and belt, said casing having a loading opening, said casing havlng inwardly p rojectingside walls for said opening, said side Walls terminating adjacent to said conveyer belt and being spaced apart at said conveyer belt a greater distance than at said loading opening.

ENOCH SMITH.

Witnesses:

BYRON GIN, JNO. R. WINDER. 

